Locomotive and stoker therefor



April 9 N. M. LOWER 1,707,676

LOCOIIOTIVE AND STOKER THEREFOR Filed Aug. 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1929. N. M. LOWER v LOCOIQTIVE AND STOKER THEREFOR Filed Aug. 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN M. LOWER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE STANDARD STOKER COMPANY INC., NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION 0]! DELAWARE.

LOCOMOTIVE AND STOKER THEREFOR.

Application filed August 24, 1926. Serial No. 181,220.

The invention relates to locomotives pro vided with stoking mechanismof the scatterfeed type, and its object is to provide simple, efficient, durable and unobtrusive means for firing the locomotive.

The improvement is incorporated in part in the locomotive and in part in the stoking mechanism proper, and the invention consists of a structure such as that hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanyingvdrawings, in which ig. 1 is a detail vertical, longitudinal, central section of a locomotive and its stoker' mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1, some of the parts being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3 of Fi 2; Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a distorted ring incorporated into the backhead of the locomotive boiler.

The backhead of the locomotive boiler is shown at 10, its hand-firing door opening at 11, the grate of the firebox at 12, the floor or deck of the cab at 13, and the framing of the locomotive at 14. These parts are all of the ordinary construction, except as hereinafter described.

The backhead 10 is provided with a plurality of inwardly offset sections, two being shown, and designated respectively as 15, 16, located in its lower pFrtioIr and at such places as the judgment of the manufacturer may deem best suited for securing the proper distribution of the fuel. When two such ofi'sets are provided they are desirably located at opposite sides of the vertical median line of the backhead.

The two oflset sections being alike, but one requires description. In forming the offset section, the hollow wall of the backhead is carried inwardly and preferably curved, the offset section taking the form of a 10W Wall, thus leaving an opening through the undistorted portion of the backhead and upwardly into the firebox; The margin of this opening in the undistorted portion preferably extends horizontally, and it and the top margin of the offset may be closed by any suitable means, preferably by a. strong and substantial ring 17, suitably distorted from the circular to follow these margins. The inner and outer sheets of the'backhead and its offset section are secured to this ring by any suitable means, such as riveting or welding.

The lower margin of the offset section is fitted to the usual mud ring 18 which is also mwa-rdly offset to the extent necessary to follow the curvature of the wall of the offset section of the backhead. The extent to which this offset section is rojected into the firebox may vary, as desire preferably though not necessarily its lower margin is out of line with the undistorted portion of the backhead.

It is deemed desirable also to incline the upper margin of the offset sections of the backhead inwardly and downwardly as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the extent of this inclination, if any, being optional. Plates 19.

19 secured to the outer face of the backhead 10 cover the external opening therein left by the formation of the offset sections.

For the purpose of conveying fuel from the tender to the locomotive, the usual transfer conduit 21 is provided, the forward end only of which is shown. This conduit is connccted by means of a ball joint 22 with a receiving and subdividing unit 23 mounted upon the sills, as 14, of the engine frame, as

shown at 24 This unit comprises a receiving chamber 25 into which the fuel is delivered from the conduit 21, being forced forwardly by suitable means, as the spiral screw 26; and a pair of lateral, downwardly inclined chutes 27, 28. At the lower end of each of the chutes, there is provided a cylinder 29 which may be cast integrally with the unit 23 and projects both backwardly and forwardly from the chute, and is preferably inclined upwardly from its rear end.

A riser 30 of suitable contour to fit within the chamber enclosed by the offset section of the backhead is securely attached, as shown at 31, to the cylinder 29, its upper end preferably terminating at the upper margin of the offset section, as 15, and forming a nozzle from which the fuel is projected and scattered over the grate 12 by suitable means, preferably a series of steam jet-s issuing from a nozzle 32 secured to the backhead and supplied with steam by one or more pipes 33.

For the purpose of forcing the fuel from the cylinder 29 through the riser and nozzle 30 there is provided a plunger 34 reciprocating within the cylinder and across the lower end of the chute, as 27.

At 35 there is conventionally shown a motor. mounted upon the framing of the 1000-. motive for driving the screw 26, through the medium of a shaft 36, and the plungers 34 through the medium of a crank arm 37 on a shaft of the motor, a link 38, a rockershaft 39 and crank arms 40, 41 on the latter shaft, the link 38 being attached to one of the latter crank arms and the piston rod 42 of the plunger 34 being attached to the other. This particular mechanism for forcing the fuel through the riser, while simple and efi'ective may give place to any other fuel advancing means which it may be found desirable to use.

Pivotally mounted within the receiving chamber 25 is a dividing'vane 43, the outer or swinging end of which is directed toward the end of the conduit 21. The pivot of this vane extends upwardly through the top wall of the element 23 and is preferably squared as shown at 44, for the convenient application of a wrench, whereby the vane may be properly positioned to secure a suitable division of the fuel to. the two chutes. An aperture 45 may be provided in the deck 13 for the insertion of the wrench, and any suitable means, none being shown, for holding the vane in the position ,to which it may be shifted, may be provided.

The contour of the riser 30 will of course be such as will adapt it to the contour of the chamber enclosed by the offset section of the backhead.

The stoking mechanism, comprising the conduit 21, the receiving and dividing unit .23. and the motor 35, is located entirely below the deck 13 and consequently leaves the cab of the locomotive entirely free of any obstruction, and the hand firing opening 11 in the backhead fully available for hand firing when necessary.

The fuel is normally equally divided between the two delivery nozzles, and as these nozzles are located at either side of the longitudinal median line of the firebox, a uniform bed of fuel is easily maintained on the grate.

Should the conveying means in the conduit 21 have a tendency to deliver more fuel to one side of the chamber 23 than to the other, the usual action of a screw conveyor, an equal division of the stream is secured by properly positioning the dividing vane 43. Should it become necessary to trim the fire, by reason of a more rapid combustion upon one side of the rate than upon the other, the vane 43 may lie set to provide an uneven division of the fuel stream, thereby providing for the delivery of an excess of fuel to one side of the firebox. A further refinement of the trimming operation may be secured by the known means of controlling the individual steam jets or groups of jets issuing from the nozzle 32.

The fuel nozzles 30, being located within the chambers enclosed by the offset sections of the backhead, are fully protected from the furnace heat, and these backhead sections being water-filled are in no danger of being burned out. A further advantage of the invention is found in the limited space required within the fire-box for the delivery of fuel, substantially the entire grate area remaining available.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a locomotive and stoker therefor, in combination, a boiler having a hollow wall, a plurality of sections of such wall being inwardly offset to provide fuel admission openings, and means for introducing fuel through such openings. 2. In a locomotive and stoker therefor, in combination, a boiler having a hollow wall, a plurality of sections of such wall being inwardly offset to provide fuel admission openings, a fuel deliver nozzle housed within the chamber enclosed y each offset, and means for forcing fuel through such nozzles.

3. In a locomotive and stoker therefor, in combination, a boiler havin a hollow wall, a purality of sections of suc wall being inwardly oifsetfto provide fuel admission openings, a fuel delivery nozzle housed within the chamber enclosed by each offset, and means for delivering fuel to such nozzles and for forcing it therethrough.

4. In combination, a locomotive having a hollow backhead, two sections of which are inwardly offset to provide fuel admission openings, a fuel delivery nozzle within the chamber inclosed by each offset, a fuel trans ferring conduit leading to the locomotive centrally below its deck and delivering laterally to the nozzles, means within the conduit for forcing fuel therethrough, and means for forcing fuel through the nozzles.

5. In combination, a locomotive having a hollow backhead, two sections of which are inwardly offset to provide fueladmission openings, a fuel delivery nozzle within the chamber inclosed by each offset, a fuel transferring conduit leading to the locomotive centrally below its deck and delivering laterally to the nozzles, meanswithin the conduit for forcingfuel therethrough, means for forcing fuel through the nozzles, and means for scattering fuel issuing from the nozzles.

6. In combinatlon, a locomotive having a boiler the backhead of which is hollow and provided with a pair of inwardly offset sections to provide fuel feed 0 enings, a unitary structure mounted on the ame of the loco motive and comprising a receiving chamber and lateral chutes, a delivery nozzle leading from each chute upwardly through the chamber enclosed by each offset, means for deliverin fuel to such chamber, and means for forcing fuel through the nozzles.

7. A locomotive having a firebox, a section of a wall thereof being offset inwardly to forma chamber open to the interior of the firebox, the undistorted portion of the wall defining the top and side margins of the chamber.

8. A locomotive having a firebox, a wall thereof being hollow, a section of such wall being offset inwardly to form a chamber open to the interior of the firebox, the undistorted portion of the wall defining the top and side margins of the chamber.

9. A locomotivehaving a firebox, a wall thereof being hollow, a section of such wall being ofltset inwardly to form a chamber open 20 y the offset section of the wall and for t e um 26 distorted portion across the top of the chamber.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

NATHAN M. LOWER. 

